


the home on the hill

by softlass27



Series: Robert Week 2020 [1]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Future Fic, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:34:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25953796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softlass27/pseuds/softlass27
Summary: Robert Week Day 1: dream storylineIt's moving day for Robert and his family.
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Series: Robert Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883701
Comments: 17
Kudos: 57





	the home on the hill

Well, this is surreal. Moving days are always a little strange, but this one takes the cake. Probably because he’s already moved in here once before.

Robert stands in the entrance to Home Farm, twirling the keys around his finger as he takes in the space, so familiar and yet so changed at the same time. They’ve done a massive amount of decorating over the last few weeks – almost as much as they did for the Mill – to get this place exactly how they want it, and to say the house has been transformed is an understatement.

Gone are the ostentatious tastes of the previous owners who’ve come and gone from the old house over the years. The stiff and ornate furniture has been replaced with comfortable sofas, chairs and beanbags, and the harsh lines of the marble breakfast bar swapped for a long, family-sized dining table. The hardwood floors are hidden from view, covered in carpets and rugs that'll be soft on the little feet that would soon be running through the rooms.

Walls that were once adorned with expensive paintings are now bare, soon to be covered in crayon drawings and photos filled with smiling faces. Shelves that had previously displayed precious antiques and ornaments now hold toys, games and picture books for a variety of ages.

Every nook and cranny of the house that once screamed _wealth and power_ now says _safety and warmth_ , and Robert couldn’t be happier with it.

“Oi, don’t worry about helping or anythin’, I can manage,” Aaron grouches as he shuffles through the front door and drops a cardboard box on the floor.

“Hope there was nothing breakable in that.”

“Nah, label says ‘Rob’s tat’, so nothing to worry about.” Aaron says, stretching his back with a groan. “Where’re the gremlins?”

“Upstairs, no doubt fighting to the death over who gets the best room.”

Sure enough, they can hear a series of crashes and shrieks coming from the floor above them, but he’s not about to panic, not unless it gets quiet. That’s when the concern usually starts when it comes to their lot.

Aaron ambles over to him and snakes his arms around Robert’s waist.

“Is it weird, then? Being back here?”

“Little bit,” Robert admits, before huffing a small laugh. 

“What?”

“It’s daft… I was just thinking of that week we spent here together, back in the day.”

Aaron pulls a face. “Dunno what’s funny about it, some of the best sex of your life, that was.”

“No, I know, it’s just… that week was the first time I really let myself imagine what it’d be like to be with you, y’know, _properly_. But I knew it had to be temporary, that there was no way I could keep you _and_ the big house on the hill.”

He grins widely. “Look at us now, eh?”

“Always get your own way in the end, don’t you?” Aaron rolls of his eyes. “Still can’t believe we’ve ended up here of all places.”

“Nowhere else in the village was big enough! Besides, I think we’ve managed to put our own stamp on the place.”

Aaron’s head turns to look around the entrance, taking in the brightly-coloured jackets hanging on the wall and the pile of small shoes that have already accumulated by the staircase.

“Yeah, you’re right. ’Specially if we wanna take in more kids.”

“Which we do.”

“Which we do. We’ll get all those rooms filled in no time.”

There’s a soft smile on Aaron's face, the one he gets whenever they talk about their growing brood (their _football team_ , as they still call it), and Robert can’t resist leaning in to kiss if off him.

“Pizza later?” Aaron asks when he pulls away.

“God yes, I’m not cooking tonight, no way.”

“Maybe don’t let the social workers hear you say that,” Aaron says mildly. “Which reminds me, they rang while I was in the car; they’re sending someone round in the morning, just to check that we’re set up alright and everything.”

“’Kay.”

“Why don’t you start pullin’ your weight and bring the last few boxes in, I’ll go and check the kids are actually getting their bedrooms sorted.”

“Alright, good luck with that. Lottie says she wants a room close to ours, but other than that I don’t think it matters who goes where.” 

Robert heads for the door, before pausing.

“Oh, but Seb and Eddie say they want to keep sharing a room, so maybe make sure they’ve got a big one so they still have plenty of space and don’t end up killing each other. And actually, since Mike’s still not great with the dark, maybe he should have that corner room with the massive window? If we leave the curtains open he can see the stars, it might make him feel better. Then I guess Tasha should really be near the bathroom, so we can try and avoid any, y’know, _accidents_ , then… ”

He stops when he notices the look of amusement on Aaron’s face.

“But _other than that_ , it doesn’t matter where anyone goes?” He says, grinning.

“Alright, I get it,” Robert grumbles. “They can sleep wherever they want, it was just a suggestion.”

Aaron darts over and pecks him on the cheek.

“You’re good at this, y’know?”

“I should hope so, we’ve been doing it long enough now,” Robert huffs. “You are, too. The best.” 

“Yeah, I know,” Aaron smirks, before turning and jogging up the stairs.

As Robert makes his way out the door, he can already hear Aaron growling playfully at the kids on the first floor, shortly followed by loud giggling.

Shaking his head, he leans into the backseat of Aaron’s car, which holds the last of their stuff from the Mill. Grabbing as much as he can carry, he straightens and turn back to face the exterior of the Home Farm. As his feet crunch across the gravel, his gaze travels over the old stone facade, the tall chimneys and the ivy creeping along the walls. 

His eyes eventually fall to the front door – _their_ front door – and he can’t help grinning as it finally hits him that this is their home. Not the home of some wealthy old family or outsider determined to make a name for themselves. Not the home of the Tates, or the Kings, _certainly_ not the Whites. 

As of today – and for many years to come – the big house on the hill will only be known as the Sugden-Dingle foster home.

**Author's Note:**

> 2018 Robron: make exactly one (1) joke about running a foster home  
> 2018 Lauren: *dons clown wig* what an EXCELLENT storyline for me to look forward to


End file.
